Goa records a dozen accidents a day

Goa records a dozen accidents a day
Preetu Nair | TNN

Panaji: Goa’s affinity with accidents continues. According to the latest data collected by the state’s traffic department, 12 accidents are reported everyday. In the first six months this year, 2,185 accidents have occurred. That’s 76 more than in the corresponding period last year.
Peruse the detailed document that registers everything—from the age of the vehicles involved to the reasons for the accidents—and the findings get worse.
The most productive age group—21 to 34 years—continues to be the chief perpetrators and often the main victims of fatal accidents.
Overspeeding and road rage, including refusal to give right of way, are the top causes of accidents, and the guilty are mostly educated, private vehicle owners who possess regular licences. The state’s internal roads and residential and open areas record the maximum accidents. Roads around institutions aren’t safe either. In the last six months 141 accidents have been reported near schools and colleges, a figure that’s in keeping with the 262 and 203 accidents recorded in the same zones in the last two years. Ironically, in areas that have police or traffic lights in control, the number of accidents have upped from 62 in 2006 to 90 last year. The majority of persons killed or grievously injured are motorcycle drivers followed by pedestrians. Alcohol consumption led to 14 accidents in the first six months of 2008, however, no one was killed. There’s a catch here, said officials.
“When a fatal accident occurs and the driver is drunk, he normally runs away from the spot and surrenders the next day. By the time the police sends the person for a medical examination there is no trace of alcohol,” said SP (traffic) Arvind Gawas.
Explaining the increase in accidents, he added, “If a fatal accident occurs, nothing deterrent happens to the driver. Neither does the accused go to jail nor does he have to pay compensation to the deceased or injured’s family nor does he lose his driving license.”
ROAD TO PERDITION
Majority of perpetrators as well as victims of fatal accidents are from the most productive age group of 21 to 34 years
Overspeeding and road rage most common causes. Guilty are mostly educated, private vehicle owners The bitter truth about ACCIDENTS
With 12 accidents registered everyday, the traffic cell’s latest report is sobering, finds
Preetu Nair
The myths have been cleared. Accidents are not weather, time or road condition specific alone. In fact, contrary to popular belief, most mishaps in the last few years have occurred when the weather’s been splendid, the sun’s been shining and the roads good.
In fact, the causes of accidents, on the rise according to the latest traffic department report, are more driver and age related. In case of the latter, of both the driver and the vehicle. And the pointer is tilted heavily towards young.
Take the perpetrators of accidents for instance. Those aged between 21 and 34 years caused accidents for reasons most associated with “young blood” — overspeeding and ego. In fact, road rage among this age group, has shot up alarmingly from 129 (119 dead) in 2006 to 141 (28 dead) in 2007 and 67 (39 dead) in the first half of this year.
Sadly, most of the victims killed were in the same age group, and the vehicles involved were young — between one and four years — as well.
Incidentally, The rise in fatal accidents — from 235 in 2003 to 322 in 2007 — and in accidents in general — from 3,707 in 2006 to 4,020 in 2007 and 2185 till June this year — has led traffic police to step up vigilance.
Till June this year, 9,748 persons have been fined for overspeeding. That’s a massive leap from the 4,178 fined for the same offence in 2007. Driving under the influence of alcohol has also attracted 967 fines this year, as compared to just 73 in 2007.
The fines however, haven’t deterred the number of accidents. On the contrary, mishaps recorded in the first half of this year are 76 more than the 2109 recorded in the corresponding period last year.
Explaining the disparity, Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Arvind Gawas said the deterrents weren’t strong enough.
While overspeeding carried a maximum fine of Rs 400, drunk drivers were fined Rs 2,000 and could spend up to 6 months in prison.
“If a fatal accident occurs, nothing deterrent happens to the driver. Neither does the accused go to jail nor does he have to pay compensation to the deceased or injured’s family, and nor does he lose his driving license,” said Gawas.
Meanwhile, clearing misconceptions, the weather was perfect when 2046 accidents that killed 166 persons occurred this year. The driver was at fault — as against the road being bad or animals straying onto tarmac — in 1593 accidents recorded till June. And contrary to popular belief that lack of visibility at night causes accidents, most mishaps occurred during lunch time and twilight (rush hour in cities) when natural light is dim and headlights often malfunction. TNN
ROAD RATTLE
Lunch time and twilight — rush hour in urban areas — are when most accidents occur
Internal city and village roads, and open areas, record the most number of accidents
Roads near schools and colleges are not very safe either with 141 accidents being recorded in these zones till June this year
With 403 (42 dead) accidents registered, January has been the most accident prone month for the first half of this year. The month of May has carried the infamy for the last two years

September 9, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition

Army doc’s death: Dad suspects murder

Army doc’s death: Dad suspects murder
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Panaji: With the army doctor Manu Yadav’s father still insisting that his son was ‘murdered in a well-planned manner’, the police are now sending the viscera to ascertain whether any sedative, hypnotics or anaesthetic drugs can be detected which may point to homicidal hanging.
The 26-year-old army doctor was found hanging in his bathroom around 9.15 am on August 8. Three days after the body was found hanging from a nylon rope in the bathroom, his father Dr Hariram Yadav had alleged foul play and said that his son would have never committed suicide.
The police surgeon’s autopsy report also didn’t suggest whether the death was suicidal or homicidal.
The report states that the death of Dr Manu occurred due to constriction of the neck caused by partial hanging (one of the deceased’s legs was touching a stool) and no opinion as to the manner of death has been given.
However, after going through the autopsy report, the father raised several questions and said that the details in the report suggest murder. In a letter to the police, he alleged that the abrasion marks on his son, the pateheal hemorrhage on the left and right leg and injury of the elbow suggests strangulation.
As a result of this, the Goa police wrote to the the forensic department head Dr Silvano Sapeco to constitute a board to look into the queries raised by the father. The 2 member board headed by Dr Sapeco, in their report stated that after discussing the queries raised by the father they have come to a conclusion that it may be a suicidal or homicidal death.
The report mentioned: “Whenever in doubt, rely more on circumstances of every individual case to prove or disprove a case by an investigating agency”.
“The report submitted by the board doesn’t indicate anything. We can’t conclude that it is murder relying on what the father is alleging,” said SP (North) Bosco George.
He added, “In his suicide note, Dr Manu has clearly stated that he was committing suicide because he felt guilty. There must have been an abetment to suicide, but it’s definitely not murder. If any incriminating evidence comes to light, we will take cognizance to murder”.

September 7, 2008, The Times of India , Goa edition